Barcelona’s Marc Casado waits for the right move as Besiktas explore late deal

Besiktas are among the clubs showing the strongest interest in Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, who is currently outside Hansi Flick’s plans and is considering a move away from the Catalan club.

According to Sport, citing Turkish website Sozcu, Besiktas want to sign Casado on loan with an option to make the transfer permanent.

The Turkish club are attempting to add a midfielder before the end of the transfer window and have also considered Celta Vigo’s Ilaix Moriba and Benfica’s Richard Rios. However, Casado is understood to be their preferred target as they look to strengthen in the centre of the pitch.

Barcelona, meanwhile, would prefer to secure a financial return from the 22-year-old’s departure. Casado still has considerable time ahead of him in his career, and the club could therefore be open to an arrangement similar to the one used in Hector Fort’s transfer.

That deal involved Barcelona selling 50% or 60% of the player’s rights while retaining control over his future. However, Casado’s status as a full Spain international means his value is expected to be higher than Fort’s. Fort joined Real Sociedad for 8.5m euros.

Casado remains under contract at Barcelona until 2028. Although he spent most of the summer training away from the main group, he chose to wait while his agent, Jorge Mendes, searched for the best possible offer.

The midfielder is particularly focused on finding the right sporting opportunity rather than simply securing a transfer. A move to Turkey is not currently viewed by Casado as an obvious choice because he does not consider the Turkish league to be one of the strongest competitions in Europe.

As a result, he is waiting to see whether a more attractive sporting proposal emerges before deciding on his next club. Besiktas’ interest has placed them among the options available to him, but the Turkish side’s proposed loan arrangement does not necessarily match Barcelona’s preference for a permanent financial return.

Casado came through Barcelona’s youth system and has progressed to the Spain senior team, increasing his profile and transfer value. His contract length, international recognition and age are all factors in Barcelona’s desire to protect his position while finding a solution that benefits the club.

Besiktas are continuing to assess their midfield options during the final stages of their recruitment process, with Moriba and Rios also on their list. Casado, however, remains the main target for the Turkish club.

Readers can discuss this and other football news in greater depth on the Kooora forums.